Congress leadership overrides Shivakumar's call to march on

Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar, the anchor of the Mekedatu march, was keen on going ahead with the padayatra that had managed to make enough noise in just four days.

According to sources, when senior Congress leaders huddled at a closed-door meeting in the party’s Ramanagara office to decide the fate of the march, Shivakumar preferred walking instead of going home.

“Shivakumar said he is ready to continue with the walk,” a legislator who was in the meeting told DH.

“We wanted just two people to walk. That was on our mind,” a visibly dejected Shivakumar said at a presser where the party announced its decision to suspend the foot march. “But even then, people would have gathered and we’d get the blame.”

The risk of public opinion outside Ramanagara, which is Shivakumar’s turf, becoming adverse weighed on him and others. At least six party leaders associated with the march have tested positive for Covid-19 so far - H M Revanna, C M Ibrahim, N H Shivashankara Reddy, Mallikarjun Kharge, M Veerappa Moily and Mallajamma. Also, the police have registered four FIRs against 164 Congressmen.

But according to leaders, the mood in the Congress camp is upbeat despite the abrupt end to the 11-day Mekedatu padayatra. The 4-day march was a success, the party says, as it put the government on the defensive. “People welcomed our march. Women, especially, gave us blessings, greetings, food, bananas...this shows that our march was pro-people,” Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said.

Not only did the padayatra raise awareness among people on the Mekedatu project, it demonstrated the Congress’ cadre strength by mobilising foot soldiers on the ground. This is a brownie point for Shivakumar who wants to make streamline the Congress’ organization by making it cadre-based.

The padayatra was also an opportunity to display unity in an otherwise ‘divided house’. To underline this, Shivakumar raised Sidddaramaiah’s hand during his outro speech to party workers.